Embroidery making attachment for zigzag sewing machines



May 21, 1968 -M. A. zucKER EMBROIDERY MAKING ATTACHMENT FOR ZIGZAG SEWING MACHINES w w W W M w m m u. A W u w ZJY A. w i N m HE 5 l IH .m E A,

May 21, 1968 M. A. zucKER 3,384,041

EMBROIDERY MAKING ATTACHMENT FOR Z`IGZAG SEWING MACHINES Filed March 2.4, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet z Qy IF". *1/ J a INVENTOR ;I Norris Zucker May 21, 1968 M. A. zucKER 3,384,041

EMBROIDERY MAKING ATTACHMNT FOR ZIGZAG SEWING MACHINES Filed March 2.4, 1966 5 shees-sheet 8 INVENTOR 102 Mor/'L8 Zacker May 21, 1968 M. A. zucKER 3384,01

EMBRODERY MAKNG ATTACHMENT FOR ZGZAG SEWNG MACHNES Filed March 24, 1968 5 sheezs-sheet A,

M' z/ y W331 IN VENTOR Mor/'L8 H. Zucker BY W WM 5 United States Patent O 3,384,041 EMBROIDERY MAKING ATTACl-HVIENT FOR ZIGZAG SEWING MACHINES Morris A. Zncker, 3520 Neptune Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y. 10024 Filed Mar. 24, 1966, Ser. No. 537,124 1 Claim. (Cl. 112-158) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An attachment assembly on a zig-zag sewing machine so that the cyclically repeated embroidery patterns of continuously varying widths can be made automatically in any desired length of pattern. The attachment assembly includes a cylindrical plunger adapted to be actuated by a rotatable cam on the machine. The plunger has a conical tip at one end. A pin extending radially of the cam and contacting the conical tip of the plnnger is adapted to adjust the eccentricity of the cam. The plunger is reciprocated by an L-shaped lever, one arm of which is in the path of movement of a movable lever operatively connected to a circular plate adapted to be actnated when pressed in one direction by the operatofs knee.

This invention relates to an embroidery making attachment for a zigzag sewing machine of the type having a needle bar set in a swinging frame hinged at the top and given lateral motion across the line of feed by an eccentrically driven pitman. One well known machine of this type is, the sewing machine No. 107W1 manufactnred by the Singer Sewing Machine Company and described in U.S. Patents 1,018,596; 1,155,050; 1,232,263; and 1,338,074. The invention is further directed at improvements in attachments for sewing machines, over those described in my prior Patents 2,-645,195; 2,805,\634 and 2,818,827.

In the No. 107W1 sewing machine and others of sirnilar type, the width of the zigzag stitch is determined by the setting of a pointed screw in a drive shaft. The screw has a pointed end which is slidably contacted by a radially extending pin in an eccentric cam to which the pitman is coupled. The screw is set and locked in position for any desired width of stitch and this setting remains until the screw is reset. Since the stitch remains constant in width, embroidery patterns which have different widths cannot be readily made, and em'oroidery patterns having widths which vary continuously and are cyclically repeated, cannot be made at all. A further difiiculty encountered in the No. 107W1 and similar zigzag sewing machines is that the maximum width of the usual zigzag stitch is very limited so that embroidery patterns having floral md other parts With wide sweeps cannot be made.

It is the principal object of the invention to overcome the above and other difficulties and disadvantages by providing an embroidery making attachment assembly for a zigzag sewing machine in which an axially reciprocable plunger is employed to vary the eccentricity of the pitman drive for varying the width of zigzag stitches while the machine is in motion.

A further object is to provide an attachment assembly as described with a cam drive means for the plunger so that cyclically repeated embroidery patterns of continuously varying widths can -be made automatically in any desired length of pattern.

Another object is to provide an embroidery making attachment assembly for a zigzag sewing machine in which an axially reciprocable plnnger is operated by an operator controlled lever for selectively and controllably varying the eccentricity of the pitman drive and consequently varying the widths of the zigzag stitches.

ICC

Another object is to provide an embroidery attachment assembly as described, with an improved eccentric cam drive for the pitman, arranged for increasing the longitudinal strokes of the pitman to produce zigzag stitches twice the normal widths of zigzag stitches in conventional machines.

For further comprehension of the invention and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference may be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, as well as to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more p-articularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIGURE 1 and FIG. 11 are perspective views of a seW- ing machine head with attachment assemblies embodying the invention mounted thereon.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged rear view of the sewing machine head taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1, showing parts of the attachment assembly thereon.

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged sectional view of the sewing machine head taken on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a piece of cloth shown being embroidered on a machine equipped with an attachment :assembly embodying the invention.

FIGS. 5, 6 and 9 are fragmentary Vertical sectional views taken on lines 5-5, 6-6 .and 9-9, respectively of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

PIG. 8 is a cross sectional view taken on line 8-8 of FIG. 6.

FIGS. 9A and 9B are views similar to FIG. 9, with the pitman removed, and showing different positions of the eccentric drive cam for the pitman to produce zigzag stitches of maximum and minimum widths respectively.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 10-10 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is lan enlarged fragmentary side view taken on line 12-12 of FIG. 11 and showing parts of a knee controlled lever mechanism.

Referring first to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 there is shown a sewing machine head 20 provided with -a vertically reciprocatable holder bar 22 for needle 24. The needle holder is driven by a crank 25 -carried at one end of a main drive shaft 26. The needle holder bar is laterally oscillatable by .a pitman or connecting rod 28 which has its left end pivotally secured to -a frame member 30 in which the needle holder bar is slidably engaged. On the shaft 26 is a helical worm 32 which drives a worm gear 33 mounted on an axially horizontal transverse shaft 34 rotatably journalled in the rear side 35 of head 20 and in a circular cover plate 36 removably secured by four screws 38 to an annular fiange 37 at the front side 39` of the head. The flange has a large opening 40 therein. To the extent described, the sewing machine is substantially conventional.

Now according to the invention, a wide, smooth cylindrical, axial bore 42 is formed in the shaft 34 extending inwardly from its forward end. This wide smooth bore replaces the narrow threaded hole conventionally provided in shaft 34. Axially fitted in bore 42 is a plunger 44 having a conical tip 45 at its inner end. The outer end of the plunger terminates in a knob or head 46 located outside `the cover plate 36 and shaft 34. Between knob 46 and the front end of the shaft is a helical coil spring 50 disposed axially on plunger 44 and tending to bias the plunger outwardly of the bore 42. The front end of shaft 34 is exposed at opening 52 formed in a bracket plate 54 integrally joined to .the front of cover plate 36'.

Slotted bracket arm 55 extends forwardly of bracket plate 54 and a bolt 56 extends across the spaced fingers 58 of arm 55. A lever 60 is pivotally supported by bolt 56. This lever is pivotable in a Vertical plane as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. At its upper en-d the lever carries a cam foliower rollei' 62 which contacts an eccentric cam 64. The cam is carried by output shaft 65 of a speed reducing mechanism supported in housing 66 which is mounted on top of the machine head 20.

The speed reducing mechanism includes a sprocket 67 shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 carried on input shaft 68. On shaft 68 inside the housing 66 is a woi'm 70 engaged with a worm gear 71 mounted on shaft 65 which carries the cam 64. Sprocket 67 carries a drive belt or chain 72 engaged on 'drive sprocket 74. The drive sprocket is mounted on shaft 34 which is driven via the worm 32 and worin gear 33 by the main drive shaft 26. The main drive shaft is driven in conventional manner by a drive belt 75 entrained on a pulley 76 secured to shaft 26; see FIG. l. Belt 72 is tensioned by an idler roller 78 carried by a pivoted arm 79 and based toward the belt 72 by a spring S0 on the rear wall 35 of head 20; see FIG. 2.

It will be apparent that as the belt 72 drives eccentric cam 64 via sprocket 67, worm 70, worm gear 71 and shaft 657 the lever 60 will rock alternately clockwise and counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 3 due to the outward bias .applied to the short end portion 82 of lever 60- extending below bracket arm 55. A thumb screw 84 is inserted in .the lower free end of lever end portion 82 to bear the outward thrust of plunger 44 -and to adjust the pressure of roller 62 on the cam 64. The plunger 44 thus recipi'ocates axially in bore 42 in response to rotation of cam 64. By adjusting the thumb screw 84, the plunger 44 will reciprocate axially with longer or shorter strokes respectively.

Mounted on shaft 34 just i'earwardly of cover plate 36 inside the head 20 is a vertically disposed disk 85; see FIG. 3. The disk is secured 'to the shaft by set screws 86 inserted in a boss 88 formed in the outer front side of the disk. Two bolts 90, 92 held by nuts 95, 96 are secured in holes 93, 94 in disk 85; see FIGS. 6-10. The bolts are located in diametrically opposed positions on the disk and their unthreaded shanks 97, 99 extend axially rearwardly of the disk.

An eccentric ring cam 100 is carried by disk 85. This cam has a plurality of radially extending arms. In one arm 98 is a countersunk hole 99' in which is engaged the head and shank of bolt 90. The cam 100 is pivot-able angularly around bolt 92 as indicated by double headed arrow A in PIG. 9. A short arcuate slot 101 is formed in arm 102 of cam 100, which arm is diametrically opposite from arm 98. The shank 99 of bolt 92 extends through slot 101 and the head of the bolt is slightly spaced from the edges of the shoulder 101' so that the cam 100 can pivot freely on bolt while its angular excursion is limited by the length of slot 101; see FIGS. 9A and 9B in which the cam is shown in two extreme positions pivoted clockwise and counterclockwise respectively around bolt 90.

In arm 106 of cam 100 spaced 90 circumferentially from and between arms 98 and 102 is a hole 104 extending radially of the cam and opening into axially extending bore 110 iii the cam 100. The bore 110 is eccentrically formed in the ring cam and is larger in diameter than shaft 34 which extends through the bore 110. A pin 112 having a threaded head 114 is securely seated in the outer threaded end of hole 104. The shank 'of the pin 112 extends into .bore 110 and through a hole 115 extending radially of shaft 34; see FIG. 3. The free rounded end 112' of the pin terminates in bore 42 and is contacted by the tapered or conical tip 45 of plunger 44.

Pin 112 is held in contact with the conical tip of the plunger by a coi spring shown in FIGS. 3, 6-8. This spring has one end engaged on a pin 122, the outer or front side of disk 85 and located iear pivot bolt 90. The spring extends around a fixed screw 124 secured in and near the periphery of disk 85 between bolts 90 and 92. The spring has its other end engaged on a pin 125 which extends through a short arcuate slot 126 formed in the disk near bolt 92. Pin 125 is secured in arm 102 of the cam 100 near slot 101; see FIG. 9. Since the spring 120 is tensioned it tends to rotate the cam 100 counterclockwise as viewed in FIGS. 9, 9A and 9B around pin bolt 90 with respect to disk S5, so that the free end 112' of pin 112 bears on the conical tip 45 of plunger 44 at all times. v

The pitnian 28 has a split ring bearing 130 at its right end as viewed in FIG. 5. The ring bearing is engaged or'. an eccentric axial extension 141 of cam 100. During rotation of the cam the extension 141 slides rotationally inside the ring beai'ing 130 and causes longitudinal oscillatory motions of the pitman which in turn oscillates the needle holder 22 laterally. A screw 131 inserted in a radial fiange extension of the ring bearing adjusts the bearing on cam extension 141 to ensure smooth relative rotation of the cam and oscillatory movement of the pitman.

The attachment assembly as dcscribed above will produce embroidery such as shown by the chain in PIG. 4. As the cloth 152 is fed under needle 24 the needle sews a zigzag stitch which continuously changes in width as cam 64 rotates. As cam 64 rotates, the plunger 44 operatively connected in driven relationship will reciprocate axially so that the pin end 112' will vary its bearing point along the side of the conical tip 45 of the plunger while pin 112 rotates around the plunger tip. Thiis the eccentric radial throw of the cam 100 will change continuously and the pitman 23 will reciprocate longitudinally accordingly. The result is an embroidered chain pattern of continuously varying width. The operator need only guide the cloth under the head 20. The width of the pattern 150 at all points is Controlled by the speed cf drive of the cam 64 and the diameter of the Cain. If enibroidered chains of narrower links such as 'shown in FG. 4 are desired, then screw 34 will be adjusted axiaily outward so that the pin end 112' bears on the plunger tip 45 at points closei' to its narrow end for larger patterns. PIG. 9B shows the pin end 112' located close to the free end of the end of the plunger tip so that the cam 100 has minimum pivotal swing on bolt 90. FIG. 9A shows the pin located close to the widest part of plunger tip 4-5 so that the cam 100 has maxirnum pivotal swing on bolt 90. The pin end 112' is about centrally located on the plunger tip as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 for producing intermediate widths of stitches. The maximum width of the stitches is in effect Controlled by the dameter of plnnger 44.

FIC'S. ll and 12 show an attachment assembly which is basically the same as that already described in connection with FIGS. l-lO and corresponding parts are identically numbered. In the arrangement of FIGS. 11 and 12, the driving control of cam 64 is deactivated by removing lever 60 and adjustment screw 84. The cover plate 36 is reset in a position 90 clockwise from its position in FIG. 1. A generally L-shaped lever 200 is now pivotally supported by pivot bolt 56 in bracket arm 55. The lever 200 is horizontal and has a short arm 202 contacting the knob 46 on the outer end of plunger 44. The longer arm 204 of lever 200 extends forwardly toward the operator on the machine opposite from the direction of travel of the cloth under head 20. The free end of lever arm 204 can be pivoted to the left as viewed in PIG. 11 for moving the plunger 44 inwardly of the shaft 34 to result in an increase in width of stitch made by needle 24. In the ontei'most position of the plunger shown in FIG. 11 the stitch width will be minimum as explained above.

If manually or knee-press operation of the attachment assembly is desired, the operator can move lever arm 204 to the left and right for controllably varying the width of zigzag stitch, and knee operated lever 206 can be used. This lever is pivotally supported to rotate angiilarly on a horizontal axis by a hi'acket 210 secured by screws 212 to the table 215 of the machine. Lever 2-06 has a horzontal upper bent portion 216 which serves as a shaft rotatably supported by bracket 210. The lever portion 216 carries a block 220 which extends radially outwardly thereof and an operating rod 222 is set in block 220. The rod 222 extends vertically and contacts the free end of lever arm 204. When the operator presses knee plate 221' on the lower end of lever 206 the rod 222 will be tilted in a vertical plane to turn lever 200 in a horzontal plane and effect controlled reciprocatoin of plunger 44. On bracket 210 is an axially horzontal stud 223 carrying adjustable rods 224, 226 arranged to limit right and left movements of lever 206.

FIG. 4 shows fioral pattern 230 in which embroidered leaves having a varying width and shape are stitched under control of an operator actuating lever 200 by knee.

The invention described makes it possible to produce automatically, embroidered pattern chains 150, 160 of continuously varying width, in which the patterns repeat cyclically over and over in any desired length. The invention further makes it possible to produce novel embroidered configurations in differently varied widths under control of an operator. The attachment asscmblies described are durable in construction, easy to install and adjust, and make possible high quality machine embroidery at high speeds.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

1. A zigzag sewing machine mounted on a base, said machine having a laterally oscillatable needle holder bar and a head with an adjustable eccentrically rotatable cam for varying the width of zgzag stitches, a pitman connecting said needle holder and said cam, an embroidery making attachment assembly secured to said head comprising a cylindrical plunger having a conical tip at one end, a pin extending radially of the cam and contacting the conical tip of the plunger for adjusting the eocentricity of the cam, means for reciprocating the plunger comprising a pivotally supported L-shaped lever having one arm engaging the plunger to move the same inwardly, spring means engaging the plunger and biasing the same outwardly to keep the plunger in contact with said arm as the lever is pivoted whereby the widths of the stitches of the embroidery are varied in response to pivotal movements of the lever and corresponding reciprocating movement of the plunger, and knee operated mechanism for actuating said first-named lever including a bracket mounted on said base, a lever pivotally attached at one end to said bracket, a block secured to said one end of the lever, a rod extending from said block, the other arm of said L-shaped lever disposed in the path of movement of said latter rod, and a circular plate secured to the other end of said pivotally attached lever adapted to fit between the legs of the operator for movement thereby controlling and varying the widths of the stitches while the machine is in operation.

References Cited UNITED STAT ES PATENTS 2,121,884 6/1938 Prazak 112-158 2,310,176 2/1943 Hale 112-158 2,645,l 7/1953 Zucker 112-158 RICHARD J. SCANLAN, JR., Primary Examiner. 

